Microsoft and Canon signed an agreement last week that would give each company access to each other's patent libraries. Canon, known for their high quality lens and camera technology, would be a perfect fit for Microsoft's push of the Nokia Lumia, a phone that touts a high quality camera. Currently, the Lumia sports a 41-megapixel camera, but Canon's long history in optics and it's new DIGIC image processing engine could make the Lumia's camera even more powerful.
“This collaborative approach with Canon allows us to deliver inventive technologies that benefit consumers around the world,” said Nick Psyhogeos, GM of IP Licensing of the Innovation and IP World Group at Microsoft. “Microsoft believes co-operative licensing is an effective way to accelerate innovation while reducing patent disputes.”